Both teams squandered a series of chances as it somehow finished goalless in the local derby at Forthbank.

The result means we end the month unbeaten, two points ahead of a Shire side who remain bottom of Ladbrokes League 2 despite picking up their first away point of the season.

This was a game that could have been 4-4 but instead we ended with our second goalless draw in a row, having gone almost 50 matches without one.

For the fourth game running, we also ended with 10 men. Ross Smith saw red for a heavy and late tackle on Nathan Shepherd in stoppage time.

Binos boss Stuart McLaren made two changes to the team that drew at East Fife in the Scottish Cup as Ross McMillan and Sean Dickson got the nod in place of Ross McGeachie and the suspended Craig Comrie.

Willie Robertson was also banned and there was a place on the bench for new signing David Sinclair, who made his debut as a substitute in the second half.

We started strongly but failed to make our early superiority count and the best chance of the half fell to Shire striker Jonny Court, who was denied by Chris Smith.

Steven Doris almost broke the deadlock with a terrific header but visiting keeper Darren Dolan pulled off a superb save.

The floodlights, on since the start, failed at half-time but the power was restored during the second period before darkness began to fall.

After the break, Dolan denied Doris and pushed a Sandy Cunningham header on to the post. Cunningham also nodded wide when he should have scored and Shire scrambled another effort away when it looked as if the ball might have crossed the line.

In the final quarter, Craig Tully’s men passed up several great chances to win away from home for the first time since March.

Shepherd fired over from close range and substitute Max Wright was thwarted by Smith when clean through before dragging a shot inches wide minutes later.

There was another scare in stoppage time when Shepherd and Lloyd Kinnaird both failed to profit from close range in the same attack and Ross Smith’s dismissal rounded off a disappointing afternoon.